IN DEFENSE OF NASB

New American Standard Bible - Translation Method
The New American Standard Bible is most known for its strict adherence to "formal equivalence" in its translation. The goal of the NASB is to be as literal "word-for-word" as possible. Most Bible scholars hold the NASB to be the most literal of all the modern English Bible translations. In order to make the NASB easier to read while ensuring accuracy, the following methods were used in the 1995 update:

• Archaic "thee's" and "thou's," etc., were updated to modern English.

• Words and phrases that could be misunderstood due to changes in their meaning during the past 20 years were updated to current English.

• Verses with difficult syntax or vocabulary were retranslated into smoother English. Verbs with multiple meanings were retranslated to accurately reflect the context.

• Recent research on the oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament was reviewed, and some passages were updated.

The NASB 1995 update continued the NASB's tradition of literal translation of the original Greek and Hebrew without compromise. Changes in the text have been kept within the strict parameters set forth by the Lockman Foundation's Fourfold Aim—that they be true to the original manuscripts, grammatically correct, understandable, and give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place, the place which the Word gives Him.

New American Standard Bible - Pro’s and Con’s
Probably the greatest strength of the New American Standard Bible is its literalness. More so than any other English Bible translation, the NASB seeks to take what was originally said in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and say the same thing in English. The primary downside to this method is that it sometimes results in the English not being as smooth and free-flowing as it could be. Overall, though, the New American Standard Bible is an excellent Bible translation.